Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The text for today’s meditation is John 1:1–14

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. ⁹The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹²But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. ¹⁴And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

When Laurie and I were stationed in Germany we had to pay our telephone bill in the small town of Dexhiem at the Bundes Post or in other words the Post Office. Across the street from the Bundes Post was a bakery. It was a wonderful bakery and every month on our way home we stopped by. When we stepped inside, the awesome smell of the fresh bread would welcome you at the door. I can still smell that fresh bread every time I think of that bakery. Can you smell it too? Big sniff… That is probably the warmest most welcoming smell. We always bought a nice fresh warm round loaf of bread. We would break it apart and eat it in the car on the way home. We only lived about two miles from the bakery but that loaf never made it home. It was absolutely delicious.The prophet Micah foretold the birth of Jesus in the city of Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.Notice Micah calls it Bethlehem Ephrathah; Bethlehem meant the place of bread. They were known to have the best bakeries in the region. From there you could smell that warm welcoming smell of fresh warm bread. Ephrathah differentiated this Bethlehem from Bethlehem in Zebulun. Ephrathah was a clan name but it also meant "place of fruitfulness." What better place for the Savior to be born than in a warm welcoming fruitful place.

John says Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us. Dwelt is a term we are not very familiar with. Other ways of saying it are: like in the Old Testament when God tabernacle among the people, in other words He set up tent among them. Today we might say He lived with us or set up temporary residence. That is exactly what God did in the form of the baby Jesus; He dwelt, lived, set up temporary residence, tabernacle with His people in Bethlehem.

Why did God choose Bethlehem? What do we know about Bethlehem? Well right now we know it was a place of bread, fine bakeries that I’m sure smelled fantastic all the time. We know it means a fruitful place. There is more to know about this "little" city as Micah calls it. It is too small to be listed as a clan city of Judah. Why would God choose such an insignificant city? But is it insignificant? Jacob’s son Benjamin was born near Bethlehem, his mother Rachel is buried there. Bethlehem is where Ruth gleaned the fields for Boaz and this is the birthplace of King David and therefore is called the "City of David." Bethlehem has a significant history but there is one other thing that distinguishes it. The fields around Bethlehem have the purest and most flawless sheep in the region. They are so flawless that some of the Pharisees and Chief Priests of the Jews invested money in the flocks of lambs that were raised in the hills around Bethlehem. These lambs were sought after for the sacrifices in the temple to atone for sins.

So why was Jesus born in Bethlehem? The city of Bethlehem actually tells the story of who Jesus is and what He will do. He is born in the city of David and He is in the lineage of David by birth through His mother Mary and legally through His father Joseph because Joseph became His legal father; both Mary and Joseph were descendants of King David. Just as David Became a King, Jesus came not to be an earthly King but greater than David the Messiah, ruler of the kingdom of God. Jesus is born in Bethlehem because He too would be flawless and pure like the sheep in the area by leading the sinless perfect life we cannot. He would also be the sacrifice, the pure flawless sacrifice like the sheep of the area. He would be sacrificed to atone for the sin of the world not just for one person like a sheep. He would be the last sacrifice and like those other flawless sheep He too came from Bethlehem. He became the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

As the meaning of Ephrathah, "place of fruitfulness" Jesus surely was fruitful in His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. He paid the price of death for our sinfulness, your sins, my sins, and all the sins of the world. His life was not wasted but very fruitful. Just as Bethlehem was a "Little" city not big enough to be on the list of the clan cities of Judah Jesus came for all, the smallest of us, the weakest, the ones that are low on the social order like the shepherds. He came for everyone. The city of Bethlehem truly was the place of bread as Jesus became the bread of life, given to us for the forgiveness of our sins. He dwells with us here in this place. We eat the bread of life, every time we come to the communion table, in the body of Jesus Christ in, with, and under the bread. So, as you can see Bethlehem is the story of Jesus Christ.

He came to a place that signified who He was and what He would do. Just as the thought of a wonderful bakery like the one in Germany drew us there, let the wonderful thought of the warm welcoming bread of life draw you closer to Jesus and the gift He has given you, eternal life. Be confident that He came to that small insignificant city to save the most insignificant, you and I. Merry Christmas, the babe of Bethlehem came for you.

Amen